Becoming a Web Developer Can Change Your Life

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At 23 years old I was working as a cook at a seafood restaurant and making $9 an hour. I had no college degree and no experience working with technology.

I taught myself web development using free internet resources and built a new career for myself.

By age 26 I was making $38 an hour as a web developer at a major media company.

By age 30 I was working from home full-time as a web application architect.

I am not presenting this story to brag. This story, and this site, is about showing you how you can build a career as a web developer and drastically change your life and career.

Since I started my web development career I have been able to purchase a home, earn my Bachelors and Masters degrees, and travel extensively. All of those experiences were because of my choice to build a career as a web developer.

I sincerely believe the career path I chose can work for many other people, and I hope this site helps them achieve their goals.

Robert Stowe, M.Ed.
linkedin.com/in/rstowe

What is a Web Developer & What Does a Web Developer Do?

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A web developer is a software programmer who is focused on developing sites and applications for the World Wide Web.

Simply put, a web developer writes the code which is used by computers to display webpages.

Here are some everyday tasks for a web developer:

  • Work with a web designer to create new webpage designs.
  • Discuss the layout and structure of a website with the website manager.
  • Write the code to produce a new page layout for a website.
  • Create a database for a new web based application.

The role of web developer is very flexible, and that flexibility is what makes it a good career choice for a large number of people.

The Benefits of Being a Web Developer

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Being a web developer offers benefits most careers cannot.

  • You do not need a college education to be a web developer.
    • Companies will hire you based on your portfolio of sites. Develop A Job is designed to help you build your portfolio and get into your new career field quickly.
  • Pay is based on the knowledge you have, not your education level.
  • Everything you need to learn is available online, free of charge.
  • Many web development jobs allow you to work from anywhere there is an internet connection, even your own home.
  • Because every company and organization needs a website you can work at a variety of places. You can find corporate jobs, non-profit jobs, full-time hours, part-time hours, and even freelance jobs where you work for yourself at your own pace.
  • The position of web developer is in very high demand and the demand continues to grow.
  • A career as a web developer offers stability and long term career viability.
    • The web is probably not going away in your lifetime, and society will always need people to work on it.

Active Web Developer Job Openings

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Web Developer - Richmond, VA

…through information technology, engineering, and science. Leidos Intelligence Group is seeking a Web Developer to support an enterprise IT program. We are

Web Developer , User Experience and Development Team - Office of Advancement - Georgetown University - Washington, DC

…interested in intellectual inquiry and making a difference in the world. Requirements Web Developer , User Experience and Development Team - Office of Advancement

Web Developer I - Gainesville, FL

Web Developer I Apply now (https://secure.dc4.pageuppeople.com/apply/674/gateway/default.aspx?c=apply&lJobID=529567&lJobSourceTypeID=796&sLanguage=en-us) Job no:

Web Developer /UX - Middletown, CT

Position Information Job Posting Number S01232 Position Title Web Developer /UX Department Creative Services -1199 Job Category Staff Posting Position Type

Web Developer - Macdill AFB, FL

**Description** SAIC is seeking a Web Developer to be a member of the Software Engineering team in support of the Headquarters, US Central Command J6 mission.

Web Developer - Washington, DC

**Overview** WEB DEVELOPER (NHTSA): Bowhead is seeking for a Web Developer to support the Department of Transportation (DOT) National Highway Traffic

Web Developer - Seattle, WA

…Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) has an outstanding opportunity for a Web Developer (payroll title: Web Computing Specialist). At the UW

Web Developer - Chantilly, VA

Web Developer Job Category: Information Technology Time Type: Full time Minimum Clearance Required to Start: TS/SCI with Polygraph Employee Type: Regular

Sr. Web Developer - Springfield, VA

Sr. Web Developer Location: Springfield, VA, US Job ID: 16107 Job Description Job Description: Title: Position Title Sr. Web Developer Location: On-Site

Software Application and Web Developer - Springfield, VA

Title: Software Application and Web Developer KBR is seeking a Software Application and Web Developer to support government customers in the Washington

Web Developer (Part-Time) - Washington, DC

DCG Communications (DCG) is seeking a part-time TeamSite Web Developer to work approximately 10-15 hours per week. You'll join a team with an unmatched mission -

Software/ Web Developer - Springfield, VA

**Job Description** As a Web Developer in an enterprise-support organization, the candidate will be part of an Agile Development team of Web Developers and

SharePoint / Web Developer (Fort Belvoir, VA) - Fort Belvoir, VA

SharePoint / Web Developer (Fort Belvoir, VA)at SMX(View all jobs) (https://www.smxtech.com/careers/) Fort Belvoir, VA SMX is seeking a SharePoint/ Web

Web Developer - Columbia, MD

Web Developer Columbia, MD Description Company Description: Synergy ECP is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business SD(VOSB) that was formed in July 2007

Web Developer - St. Louis, MO

Description You could find the next step in your Web Developer career in this position! Robert Half is searching for a candidate who can transform projects from

Web Developer , LAMP, Magento, AWS - Eastwood Automotive - Pottstown, PA

Web Developer skills are needed to continually improve our customer shopping experience. A positive and easy shopping experience is a key competitive advantage,

Web Developer & Evangelist - Atlanta, GA

…to mid-level software engineering in Web Development to join the team as a Web Developer and Evangelist in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Every day, you'll use

Web Developer - Chantilly, VA

**Description** SAIC needs a Web Developer (SharePoint) to support an integrated web development team that will design, develop, and produce media elements

The Different Types of Web Developers

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There are two components which deliver a website.

  1. The web server which holds the site information
  2. The browser program used to view the site (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.).

Every web developer has an understanding about both components, but many developers choose to focus on one of those components for their career. Since you are just starting as a web developer it would be good for you to learn a bit about both, then choose your area to focus on.

Web Development on the Server

Web developers who work on code on servers write the code which constructs the website. Their code pulls data and files from the server and combines them to produce the website.

Their code tells the server what to do when you send data to the server. Such as when you submit a form or send an email.

Web developers who work on server based code are often referred to as Back-end Developers.

Web Development for the Browser

Web developers who work on code on for the web browser write code which tells the browser where to lay out the pieces of a webpage. Their code tells the browser where to put text, images, and media (video, slideshows, etc.) on a given webpage.

Web developers who work on browser based code are often refereed to as Front-end Developers.

Where do Web Developers Work?

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One of the great benefits of being a web developer is the flexibility of where you can work. This is just a small list of the different job types available to web developers.

  • On a product team at an advertising agency
  • In the IT Department of a major corporation
  • As member of a development team at a software development firm
  • As a freelance web developer and work on your own projects
  • Being the sole web developer at a small or medium sized company

How Long Does it Take to Become a Web Developer?

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You will need two things to get your first job as a web developer:

Once you are able to produce a handful of sites and earn one or two certifications, you will have a strong enough resume to go job hunting.

Most people are capable of achieving those two goals with 6 months of part-time work and learning.

Develop a Job is a great tool for guiding your journey to a new career, but it is only one guide. We want you to succeed as web developer, so please use any resources which might help you become a web developer.

The Start Here: Web Development Podcast is another great resource for learning to be a web developer.

The Server, the Database, and the Browser

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Those three components make up the basis of any website.

The server holds the files which are used to produce the website. These files include HTML files, images, videos, and the code files used to create the site’s layout.

A server is also referred to as a web server or the back-end.

Resources for learning more about web servers:

The database holds the data used in a website. The data in a database is stored in multiple tables that look similar to a spreadsheet. Each distinct database table holds data specific to a topic, function, or user.

The server adds data to the database tables and copies data from the tables. The server is the connection between the stored data and the web browser.

For example, when you log into Facebook the Facebook server copies all of the data needed for your profile from the database and sends it to your browser in a format which the browser can read .

The database is also referred to as the DB, or the data table.

Resources for learning more about databases:

The browser is the program you use on your computer to interact with the internet. There are a few different browser programs currently used: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari are some of the most popular.

You tell the browser which website or webpage location you want to visit and the browser retrieves the code and data from the server for that website. The browser then shows the data in the correct layout to you.

The browser is also referred to as the client or the front-end.

You interact with the browser using these program languages:

Websites, Webpages, and Web Applications

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A webpage is a single page shown in a web browser. A single video page on YouTube.com is a webpage.

A website is a collection of webpages under a single URL (Uniform Resource Locator). Youtube (youtube.com) is a website.

A web application is a website which offers advanced functionality like a computer program would. An example of a web application would be a web based calendar, or web based email. Youtube.com is also a web application

What is a Web Host?

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A web host is the computer which holds the web server and database.

Setting up and maintaining a reliable host computer is expensive and difficult.

Most people and companies pay a hosting company a monthly rate to use one of their computers as a web host.

In the section Build Your First Website we will point you to a low cost web host you can use to setup your first website.

Resources for learning more about web hosts and web hosting: